Government investigators -- Fiction; Impostors and imposture -- Fiction; Religious fiction; Romantic suspense fiction
“Oh, it doesn’t matter in the least,” said Celia wearily. “I’m not at
all hungry.” She almost smiled when she said it. He knew that what she
wanted was to have her mind relieved about the letters. But she readily
saw that there was no opportunity now.
She even seemed sorry at his troubled look, and tried to smile again
through the settled sadness in her eyes. He could see she was very
weary, and he felt like a great brute in care of a child, and mentally
berated himself for his own thoughtlessness.
Gordon started off to search for something to eat for her, and was
more successful than he had dared hope. The newsboy had two chicken
sandwiches left, and these, with the addition of a fine orange, a box
of chocolates, and a glass of ice-water, he presently brought to her,
and was rewarded by a smile this time, almost as warm and intimate as
those she had given him during their beautiful day.
But he could not sit beside her, for the places were all taken, and he
could not stand in the aisle and talk, for the porter was constantly
running back and forth making up the berths. There seemed to be a
congested state of things in the whole train, every seat being full and
men standing in the aisles. He noticed now that they all wore badges
of some fraternal order. It was doubtless a delegation to some great
convention, upon which they had intruded. They were a good-natured,
noisy, happy crowd, but not anywhere among them was to be found
a quiet spot where he and Celia could go on with their suddenly
interrupted conversation. Presently the conductor came to him and said
he had found a gentleman who would give the lady his lower berth and
take her upper one. It was already made up, and the lady might take
possession at once.
Gordon made the exchange of tickets, and immediately escorted Celia to
it. He found her most glad to go for she was now unutterably weary, and
was longing to get away from the light and noise about her.
He led the way with the suit-cases, hoping that in the other car there
would be some spot where they could talk for a few minutes. But he was
disappointed. It was even fuller than in the first car. He arranged
everything for her comfort as far as possible, disposed of her hat and
fixed her suit-case so that she could open it, but even while he was
doing it there were people crowding by, and no private conversation
could be had. He stepped back when all was arranged and held the
curtain aside that she might sit on the edge of her berth. Then
stooping over he whispered:
“Try to trust me until morning. I’ll explain it all to you then, so
that you will understand how I have had nothing to do with those
letters. Forget it, and try to rest. Will you?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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